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 | | 10th July 2010,
Night Ride.
What a great ride, this was our first night ride with No moon.
The Night ride started with everyone meeting at the Southport Boat ramp at 6:00pm. From Here everyone suited up with Ride pants, wetsuits, jumpers and tour coats. We Cracked the glow sticks turned on the Navigation lights and headed for a 6 knots cruise south past Marina Mirage.
In a single file procession like a Christmas tree we skied under the Gold Coast highway then for a quick burn on the throttle past T.S.S. and around Paradise waters. Heading though the Macintosh Island area it was quite apparent that the water level was high as some of the footpath close to the waters edges was going under with the tide. This gave me confidence about one less thing to worry about -Like running aground on a stray sand bank somewhere in the dark( something no one wants to experience.) After rounding the 6 knot cruise and getting back up past Versace it\'s now 7:30 and we get to start the real night ride, from here no more lights all around us to reflect the claim water, just the white wake from the jet ski in front showing you the way like a path to safe water.
Heading around Wave break Island in the dark is quit unique as the rolling swell from the pacific ocean sometimes picks you and the watercraft up with not much warning and gives butterflies in your stomach, this is a thrill. it doesn\'t matter how many times i\'ve been for a ride in these same waters in the day but at night you can\'t help but feel a little lost. \"Am i going the right way?\" \"Where is the next Marker?\" \"Am i going to hit a sand bank?\"
By the time we get up past where tipplers was once located, everyone one was getting Hungary, and the decision was made to head to Calypso Bay. If you looked up you would see Millions of stars that you would normally miss out on from the light dome of Surface Paradise. looking behind if you were leading was a twinkling Green and red Snake of Navigation lights that spaced out for 1-2 kms, and if you were in that snake, in front of you was a White light of hope to follow(the white light = the rear light of the PWC in front).
Here We took a left and headed to Calypso Bay to the Famous Harrigans Irish Pup for a warm dinner and a recap of every ones different experience so far. Food was Great and reasonably priced, Service was fast and with a smile. We may of looked out of place compared to the nicely dressed patrons that had gone there for a nice evening of dinning. In comes 20 Mad Jet skis at 7:45 wearing wetsuits, gloves, Glow stocks zip tied on and the Famous Balaclava. We got got some strange looks like we were going to rob the place and make a quick get away on a jet ski into the dark of the night. But no we sat down and enjoyed a Hot dinner, a few drinks (non-alcoholic) and had a great meal with friends.
I May have mentioned at the riders briefing about a 50km/hr speed limit of which i was reminded a few times of dinner that we may have crept that up to 80km/hr at a few stages of the ride up, and with glassy clear smooth conditions it felt right at the time. I did take this info on board and kept to it on the way back. After leaving Harrigans Irish pup at 9:30pm we varied the path back slightly and took in the some of the spectacular houses on Sovereign Islands and came past runaway bay, back around Wave break Island and back to Southport Boat ramp by 10:30.
What a great night out, it wasn\'t that cold, it was very flat, we had a high tide, But most of all it was a very safe ride- Great work to everyone that came along and showed the responsible side of watercraft owners on the Gold Coast.
James Tod
Honda Jetskishop.com
www.jetskishop.com
07 55 9166660
0403 198484
james@jetskishop.com
P.S. Next time we will go with a full moon!!
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